Tryouts for the Winter Guard began Thursday after school.
Thirteen students learned steps, dance moves, and flag twirls necessary for being on Winter Guard. Junior Christine Ross was one of the students who tried out for the team.
“We learned some dance moves to a song and we learned flag work along with it and they broke down how to toss a single, it’s just spinning a flag once in the air and then catching it,” said Ross.
Even though Ross was on the team as a freshman, she along with everyone else previously on the team still had to try out.
“You can’t just be guaranteed a spot. It’s like cheerleading tryouts or sports tryouts, there’s always tryouts,” said Ross.
Winter Guard is looking for students who have good facial expressions and look up at the audience while performing, good posture, showmanship and confidence, can memorize the routine, and have control of their equipment at all times. They should also be able to generate the audience’s approval at the shows.
Winter Guard is different than Fall Guard, it is more poised and graceful.
“In Winter Guard there’s a lot more dancing and it’s indoor versus a football field with a marching band behind you,” said Ross. Ross said it also differs from Fall Guard because they perform specifically to attract an audience.
The standards for Winter Guard are high. Veterans are judged not only on tryout performances, but on their past seasons on the team. Their goal is to work the hardest have the best girls, and to be a good example of Lee’s Summit West.
Tryouts will continued Friday after school, where the team will be finishing up flag work.
To those trying out for Winter Guard for the first time Ross said, “You don’t need to be nervous, it’s just tryouts, it’s your first time.”
Story by Claudia Gutherie
